Moving head console

Ben Lawrence

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Mar 2, 2011
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I am looking to pick up a controller for a few moving heads I just picked up. In the past I have been using software to run shows or a chauvet 70 I have here. Generally music based stuff. Running moving heads, scanners and a couple flavors of LED wash lights. Hoping to be able to have something a little more tactile than the laptop based stuff. Price range is in the 1000$ or less neighborhood. New or used is fine. I have been looking at everything from ETC ML to blizzard kontrol. Need to be able to adjust parameters while programs are running. Also I like to keep resale value in mind. Thoughts?
 
Re: Moving head console

Need to be able to adjust parameters while programs are running.
What exactly do you mean by that? I have a Blizzard ProKontrol that I like, lots of good features for the $$. You can adjust the range, offset, and speed of the built-in movement macros as they are running.. is that what you meant above?
It also has channel patching and can run several scenes or chases simultaneously so it's more powerful than it's size would suggest.
 
Re: Moving head console

Thanks I will look a little closer into that unit. I had a request from a client to be able to adjust for instance the color of the movers while they were running a program. Lighting is not particularly my strong point. I will run this unit past the guy who typically assists me with lighting.
 
Re: Moving head console

I had a request from a client to be able to adjust for instance the color of the movers while they were running a program.
That is something most controllers will allow.. this one included, you can select a fixture or fixtures while they are running pre programmed scenes and manually override any particular feature like colors, gobos, prism rotation.. whatever you like really.
 
Re: Moving head console

I have a SmartFade ML and just picked up a Martin M-Touch. The SmartFade ML is pretty powerful, and once programmed, is pretty easy to hand over to volunteers to operate, as you can tell them to just push up faders. I typically set mine up with 12 faders of LED colors and 12 faders of mover patterns, and then combine to taste. The board has a simple built-in effect generator.

The M-Touch I'm just starting to get up to speed on, but it solves most of the problems of using a software-based console with the control surface. Having touch strips instead of faders effectively solves the multiple pages problem, meaning you don't need to spend $25K for a big Hog or MA to get motorized faders. M-PC is a real console, and will do MUCH MUCH more than the SmartFade.

The cost of both are roughly equal - the SmartFade ML is ~$2000-ish, and the M-Touch plus a laptop with touch screen is ~$1500 or so, depending on what PC you go with.
 
Re: Moving head console

I am really liking the idea of something that has a software option for programming.
I will look a little into the M touch option but for an some unknown reason a physical console appeals to me as well. Since Im likely not going to be the operator I will ask about preferences. Thanks tho TJ. I am leaning a little more towards the ML if I can find a good deal.